Love Always Prevails
by mesa-boogie
Summary: Loki is called to Asgard on the trial of crimes against humanity. Odin forces Loki into his female form for the time being. He is then to travel to Midgard with Thor and take on a new name (Lucia) and new life. Through this change is still Loki's Jotun heritage and he must take his mate. He just doesn't know if he'll have him in turn with his female form. Love always prevails.


When the veil is lifted from his eyes and his momentarily blinded by the brightness of the room he is in, he takes note that he is no longer back in the bedroom of his little hawk. No, no where even close to his little hawk's bedroom. This place is far worse. This place is Asgard.

Loki stands in front of the whole council, training his eyes to the ground as Odin is presuming his throne not more than a few feet in front of him. He turns his head to look behind himself to see a large crowd forming behind him. Pretty sure it's the whole population of Asgard, come out to see him punished again. But why? He has done nothing wrong since the dream incident on Midgard.

His jaws hurt and he opens his mouth to try and relieve the soreness, but he can not. His mouth is shut, that metal muzzle clamped over it once more. This frustrates him and he begins to become agitated. Wondering where Thor is; he'll give him a beat down.

"Loki, son of Fárbauti, step forth," Odin's voice booms out and everyone goes dead quiet. Loki takes a step forward, finding his hands are cuffed behind him and shackles between his ankles. Clearly, they do not want him to run. "You are to be sentenced to punishment for your crimes against humanity, again." His head snaps up to Odin and he wants to back talk the king, to tell him he has done nothing wrong and to ask why he is back here on Asgard of all places. But all he can do is not fuss and try not to glare at Odin. "You will be stripped of your magic." Strike. "You will be forced to live in your female form till later notice." Loki shuffles his booted foot on the gold polished floor, being female is not all that bad. "And you will return to Midgard with Thor, under his watch. Do you understand?"

He snaps his head to one side as a guard comes forth and removes the metal muzzle that has been biting into his skin. Once free of its confines, he gives the All Father what is on his mind, "Fuck you."

Not the right choice of words to use in Asgardian court, but he knows his little hawk would say the same thing if he was in this sticky situation. A hush falls over the crowd before everyone starts speaking at once.

"SILENCE!" Odin yells as he taps Gungnir against the floor and the crowd falls silent once more. "You will comply with this punishment and see it out, Loki." He watches the All Father takes the steps down and closer to him, reaching out a hand and laying it against Loki's breast plate. And then reaching into the very fabric of his soul, rips his magic from him. Loki falls to the ground, able to catch himself with his hands, as he overcome with weakness and left to his female form. "Now rise." He pushes himself up on shaky long legs like a new born horse. "Now, you will go with Thor. I do not wish to see you again," Odin orders, turning his back on him and walking back up to his throne. Everyone in the crowd begins to file out of the great hall and Thor approaches Loki with his hands at his side, balled into fists.

"Why was I punished?" Loki hisses at Thor. "He never said."

"For producing offspring of humans. You know how much hated your last brood."

"Cold, cruel and calculating as always," Loki turns and limps along with Thor's help as he is led back to Thor's chambers. When the door is opened, he's glad to see the large bed, sitting and allowing Thor to undo all the shackles. The god of thunder then rubs at his thin wrists.

"You need new clothes, br..." he stops himself and stares at Loki.

"You think this is too heavy for me in this form? I'll tell you, I am quite strong as a female as I am a male," Loki hisses at Thor and takes his hands back quickly. "Fine, you can find me some things, I'll wear them."

"None of the Avengers are to know that you are...like this. Understand, Loki? You are here on Asgard for punishment."

"You saying I have to play stupid and make up a whole new me?"

"Yes," Thor nods, coming back with some of Sif's clothes that she has left behind in his room. Laying them on the bedside for Loki.

Loki takes a look at them and sneers. He would much prefer to keep wearing his Asgardian garb than wear Sif's. But he complies with Thor and easily slips out of his clothes and into Sif's. They are a bit tight in the bust, for Sif is not as big as Loki. "You better be happy now, Thor," he turns and growls.

"How about a name?"

"I need a fake name too?" Loki gawks. It keeps getting better by the second.

"Yes."

"Fine. Lucia. I'll go with Lucia."

"Lucia," Thor smiles and nods his head, holding out his hand for her to take.

"We're heading back at Stark's place, aren't we?" she sighs, pretty sure the genius is going to be hitting on her as soon as he smells her.

"Yes, we are."

The trip on horse back to the bifrost is a bit more painful than he remembered. Big breasts are now one thing Loki doesn't care for anymore. The trip through the biforst was even worse, ending up sick on the other end. His female form feeling almost crushed, without his magic he's pretty much a mortal.

The lights are off in Stark tower and there's not even acknowledgment from JARVIS either. Thor gets her a glass of water and she downs it before heading back to Clint's room. Thor catching her by the wrist and pulling her back.

"You can not go back to Barton, Loki. He is not to know who you are now."

"So much for being under your watch here," she growls.

"Oh, you will be staying here, but in another room. You're not staying with Barton."

"Do I get to see my daughter?"

"Later, but not now."

She stands there in front of him, eyes wide. She doesn't get to see her daughter or return to bed with Clint.

"I hate this punishment!" she throws her hands up in the air, turning her back on Thor before turning around again. "So, I am to stay here and play clueless among the rest of you? And I can't even hint at Clint that I'm his...mate? This is ridiculous. Keeping me from him and my daughter."

"Father's orders, Loki. You should heed them."

At that she wanders off and finds an empty room to sleep in for the night a she rolls things around in her head.

A pain has settled deep in her gut and she rolls to her other side, pushing her hands down against her stomach. Without her magic, this pain is beyond making go away. It's the same pain that has come over him time and time again. The bone breaking pain of heat. The needing returning with force and she comply with her body's demand to take a mate. This time there's a heads up on who the father of the young is to be and she can't complain. Actually, she is smiling. Just getting him to comply will be harder, with 'Loki' gone and 'Lucia' in his place, and the fact of having to play dumb with the Avengers. It will be harder than it looks.

To swell with young once more seems like blessing in disguise and she falls asleep to the thought of it.

Lucia wakes the next morning in the cold empty bed. Having tugged all the covers over to her side and hiding under them. She does not want to face the Avengers and yet, she is going to have to. They all leave here in Stark tower and commune in the only room that holds food. She groans and slips out of the bed, barefoot tip toeing to the bathroom. Staring down on the sparkling clean toilet, remembering she'll have to turn around for now on. Taking a hot shower and dressing in Sif's clothes again, she slips out of the room, running into Thor's wide broad chest.

"Good morning, brother," he grabs her by the shoulders tightly and she growls lowly in protest. "Oh, yes, my bad." He lets her go and Luc takes a few steps back. "Heading up for breakfast?"

"Where else would I be going?"

"Heading to Barton's room, going against my rules."

She sighs, Thor is able to see through the lies now and she shuffles around him.

"I'm sure Natasha could give you some of her clothes to wear. They would fit and suit you better." She turns and arches a brow at him before continuing to the elevator without another word. Taking it up to the floor she knows Natasha's room is on. Carefully and quietly slipping into the dark room and over to the dresser. Taking clothes she's sure Natasha won't miss.

Lucia tenses up upon hearing a little sound, a soft coo. Turning and walking over to the crib and looking down on the baby boy swaddled in blue. His eyes are open and staring up at her. Feeling a ping of pain in her heart, she turns away quickly, leaving the room without even waking Natasha.

Returning to her room to dress in her new found clothes; she needs to get out of the Avengers tower quick.

Clint Barton was seated in his favorite little coffee shop just a few blocks away from Stark tower. He needed to get out and have some alone time, like he use to. Having left Loona in Tony's care. Slowly sipping a cup of joe and reading today's paper, he begins to feel normal again. The low chatter of other customers, the idle clatter of fingers on laptop key pads, it all feels normal.

He lifts his gaze away from his paper when he hears the bells on the main door jingle. Watching a tall slender woman enter. Long legs, clad in dark jeans. Low high heel boots. A dark burgundy shirt with a short denim jacket over top. Her hair is long and it cascades over her shoulders and down her back, like rippling water, and it is ebony black. When she turns to look his way, her eyes are piercing green and he feels he can't move. He's staring at her and he knows it's rude to stare, but it's hard to pull his gaze away from her.

She is one fine piece of work. He watches as she glides to the counter and orders a drink. Watching her turn, with drink in hand, as she begins to approach him.

"Can I sit with you?" she asks and her voice is melodic.

"Oh, yes! Yes, the seat is free. I was just reading the paper and..." he feels flustered, trying to fold the news paper back up and pull out the chair for her. She sits with such grace and he wonders if she weighs no more than a feather.

He watches her test her drink before setting it back down at him and smiling at him with such bright straight teeth. Of course, she must go to the dentist all the time.

"Um, I've never seen you around here..."

"I know," she replies, before he can finish. "My name is Lucia."

"Lucia. That means 'light', doesn't it?" He watches as she stares at him for a moment and it hits him that that was a stupid question to ask. "Of course it does," he tries to laugh off his mistake. She smiles at him and he feels his heart swell. He's not normally this nervous around women, but she's giving him butterflies in his stomach, for sure. "You have lovely hair." Stupid compliment, Clint, stupid.

"Thank you," she begins to tread her fingers through the long black waves. Clint wonders if they are soft to the touch. Wondering how it would feel, pooling on his chest or against the inside of his bare thighs as she gives him a blowjob.

"What is your name?" she asks and that snaps his attention back to where it should be.

"Barton. Ah, Clint Barton," he holds out his right hand to her and she takes it. Turning his hand over and examines his palm. He blinks in confusion. Maybe she's a palm reader.

"You have many battle wounds. You have seen many things you should not have. You have seen life and you have seen death," she speaks softly, glancing with those jade eyes back to him. "You have a lover and you have life." She lefts him have his hand back. "You fight with a bow." Now his mouth is hanging open and she just smile.

"You're...you're good," he laughs and takes a sip of his coffee. "You just read me like a book. Is it really all that obvious."

"No," she sips on her drink. "I know your heart."

He stares at her for a second before shaking his head. He must have misheard her. She knows his heart. The only person that knows his heart is Loki. They sit there in quiet as they both finish their drinks. Clint begins to stand, getting ready to head back to Stark tower, when Lucia grabs a hold of his left wrist. He looks down at her pleading green eyes.

"Can I go with you?" He blinks a few times, wondering if his hearing is okay. But really, he can't just take her back to Stark tower and Avenger business. Ah hell.

"Yeh, you can come with me," he smiles down at her, helping her to her feet and the two of them leave the coffee shop together and walk up the street a few blocks. Ringing in to JARVIS that he has company with him before they reach the front door. Opening for her and letting her in first. "This, is where I live."

"You live in grand style," she speaks up as they ever the elevator and ride it up about 20 floors. He still can't help but stare at her. She has a large breast and he wonders about snuggling his face in-between. Think Clint, think. He pulls his mind out of the gutter as the doors ding open and they step out into the living area of Stark tower. Thank the gods no one is around at the time to see them. He watches as Lucia walks over to the couch, running her finger over the top of the leather before turn and looking back over her shoulder at him. "Is this all yours?"

"No, no," he shakes his head. "I share it with five other people. It gets a little too crowded sometimes for me. Come on, I wanna show you something." He takes her back to the elevator and they ride up to his room. He opens the door quietly, looking for Loona before allowing Lucia in. She floats across the floor to the sliding glass doors. He walks over and opens them for her, watching her step out on the balcony. The slight breeze of the day catches her hair and it waves slightly to one side. She turns and smiles at him, eyes bright. "Like the view?"

"Very much. I can see everything from up here."

"You wanna see more?" he walks up behind her, his hands settling on her hips and she looks at him with curious jade green eyes. Yes, he wants to show her everything in this world. The moon, the stars, his bed. Show her everything, for he feels he already has.

Lucia turns, hands reaching up and out to cup Clint's face, bringing him to her lips and kissing him passionately. No matter what form Loki takes, it seems Clint knows. His little hawk is so observant, even while Loki can not tell him directly.

"What is it you wanted to show me?" she asks, looking into his ocean blue eyes and a smile pulls on her lips as she easily seduces him. Sure that in no time, she'll have him pinning her down against his bed, feel the heat of his strong body against her and the rhythmic pounding of his hips as he bucks like a while stallion.

"Umm," he blushes brightly and she can't help but laugh a little. Clint gets so cute when caught off guard, but he is left a little more confused than anything else. Clearly the gears in his head are turning a bit quicker than Thor's.

"Show it to me, Clint," she whispers, green eyes half lidded, looking at him through her thick lashes, and lips tight in a cool sly smile. "I want you to show me all of it. All that you have," she smooths her hands down the front of his hoodie jacket, while snatching and tugging the zipper all the way down till it meets at his waist. "I'm sure you can show a girl a good time or two. Give me a good time, Clint. Cat got your tongue?"

She watches his trained assassin's eyes, watching her hands as she unzips the hoodie and parts the sides. Slipping her hands in to feel the warmth coming from his body, snuggling herself in and up against him. Feeling his arms slowly wrap around her in a secure hold.

"I'll show you," he whispers in her ear before kissing her cheek and drawing back from her. Holding her by the wrist and leading her over to his nest of a bed on the floor. Clint never wanted to have an overly formally decorated room like the other Avengers; he liked to keep things simple and that was just fine with Loki. She tries to pretend like she doesn't notice the empty crib across the room, focusing her attention on Clint for the time being.

"And this is where you sleep."

"Yeh, it's nothing fancy, sorry."

"Oh, that is quite alright. I don't mind. As long as I have some body on top of me," she turns and gives him a wink and a low purr. Seems seducing her little hawk is easier than she first thought. She slips out off her heeled boots, setting them aside so not trip over them, before looking back to Clint. Clearly he's enjoying him in this female form. Seducing Clint into giving himself up to her will be a cinch and diminish the ebbing pain of her Jotun heritage, replacing it with a young. The only thing left would to be for the sentencing from the AllFather to be over and magic restored. For now, to play Lucia and continue loving Clint, going against Thor's rules of interacting with the Avenger and SHIELD agent.

Cat really does have his tongue. And that cat being a sleek, black, small female before him with the gorgeous green eyes. He can feel her claws digging in and holding on to his very soul, but he doesn't care. He's not letting this one through his grasp. Maybe he can even convince Loki to let her stay with them.

She wants him to show her all that he has, all that he is made of, oh he will show her that and much much more. He helps her take off the short denim jacket before lifting that long sleeve burgundy red shirt up off her curvy form, stopping just above her ample breast. Revealing that she's wearing one hell of sexy bra underneath. Black silk, push up, but with lacing coving her nipples. Supper glad it's a front clip bra, parting the cups to grasp at her breast quickly with his hands. He can not even begin to describe the feeling into words, the way they jiggle, the weight of them. All in all, perfect.

Clint brushes a thumb lightly over one nipple, it almost instantly peaking and he can't help but grin like a virgin school boy. They are a dark dusky rose pink against other wise pale porcelain skin. Leaning his head down and taking a tentative lick against Lucia's sweet smooth surface.

"More." He hears her whisper and he meets her jade green eyes. "More. Show me more." And so sparks his need and he lays her down on her back on his bed. Working those skinny jeans off her body and tugging her black panties down to her ankles. He takes in the sight of her body against his blood red sheets, and her long black hair fanned out around her like a halo. He hops to stripping out of his clothes before going down on her (trying not to make a fool of himself and trip as he hops on one leg, taking off his pants), cupping her breast in his hands and kisses over her dusky nipples.

Taking one nipple into his mouth, pushing it with the tip of his tongue against his back of his front teeth, while gently applying suction. Pulling back with a pop before doing it all over again. She squirms a little beneath him with a giggle, causing friction against his already growing erection that is resting against her inner thigh.

"Are you real?"

"Am I real? Why would you ask that?" she smiles at him, cupping his face with her hands and dragging him down to her for another kiss. "I'm real as you will get, Barton." At that, she lets him go and his momentarily stunned speechless. A part of him cursing that he shouldn't even being doing this, going against Loki. Part of him egging him on, that part of him that is completely male driven. There is a few minutes of awkward silence before he pulls himself back together.

The way she feels inside her body is far beyond the likeness of any other women he has ever had, Natasha included. Clearly, Lucia puts them all to shame as women. He is stunned speechless and his heart pounds hard and fast in his chest cavity. She pulls him down to till her breasts are firmly pressed against his chest.

"Do not tell me you want to back out now, little boy," she purrs softly, her legs gripping tightly around his waist, her heels digging into the small of his back and keeping him drawn in deep inside of her. Clearly not wishing to be anywhere else at the moment.

"No, no, I'm not," he kisses her, gently and playfully nipping at her bottom lip as she smiles.

"That's good. All very good. Give it to me, Clint. Give yourself over to me." She gives a roll of her hips and he feels his sack tighten. Feeling her finger nails traveling down his body and one hand works its way between the junction. Slithering around to gently tickle his sack. He feels a shudder run from the top of his spine, all the way down his body and through his cock buried deep inside of Lucia.

He picks up on his vigorous thrusting in and out of her, watching her breast bounce with each in and with each out. Listening to her playful sex noises that pass through her lips as he takes her breath from her lungs. She gets louder as he feels himself even building to a climax. Both panting like race horses as they sprint for the finish line. Her body grasping and gripping him, milking him. Her legs keeping hold of him and keeping him inside till it burns, till he can't hold on anymore. Arching his spine and throwing back his head as he groans and spills his seed deeply inside her of womb. Curses, he did not mean to do that.

Her heart is swelling with emotions. Clint actually came inside and with such stamina, she's sure he could go another few rounds.

"Little hawk," she finds herself whispering and looking into his eyes. There is a hazy there, but he's staring right back at her. A slight recognition passes in front and he pushes himself back. "Clint," she speaks to him while sitting up, reaching out to pull him back to her. "Clint, don't do this. Please, don't do this." She watches him look away momentarily before looking back to her and she gives him a smile. "Come on. That's not all that you got, huh?"

She's glad those words came out, for he picks her up in his strong arms and carries her away from the bed. They do it against the sink in the bathroom, in the shower, against the full length mirror, against a wall in the room, and against the dresser and ending back on his bed. Both collapsing, exhausted. This all should satisfy the need deep inside. She runs her fingers over her skin taunt over her belly with a smile on her lips. Soon to swell with young. Tilting her head and looking at Clint with his eyes closed, chest rising and falling with each deep breath. Lucia rolls over and runs her hands over his bare golden chest, leaving a trail of kisses and meeting her eyes. Both smile silently while words are exchanged without needing to open one's mouth.

There is a knock at the door and they both scramble to cover their naked bodies before the door creeks open and in comes a young girl. Hair as black as night, rolling down over her shoulders and eyes bright in question. Loki just wants to call to her, call his daughter over and hug and kiss her, but he must play as clueless Lucia.

"Who is she, pappa?" she asks and points to Luc. She turns and looks at Clint struggling to pull on his boxer shorts, face red with embarrassment.

"Ha ha, Loona...hey...look, why don't you go back down to Tony's lab and play with Dummy and Butterfingers, alright? Pappa has some business to do with...Lucia here." She watches the little girl look between Clint and her before turning around and slipping out of the bedroom. "Oh gods, I'm so so sorry about that. She's...my daughter," he runs his fingers through his short hair repeatedly. "I should have told you."

"It's alright," she raises to her feet with grace and pulls him to kiss her again, purring against his lips. "Not a problem. You'll still be mine, Barton." She smiles, letting go of him and getting dressed once more. Her whole body is sore, sore in a good way from all the punishment Clint did to it with his own body. She'll sleep well and have sweet dreams tonight.

Clint's heart is pounding so hard and fast inside of his chest, he feels as if it just might jump up out of his mouth and run away. He watches Lucia redress and turn to look over one shoulder at him. He was reckless, he was stupid, he was playing 'bad boy' and just might fail. No condom, no protection, and with how many times they did it, he's sure she'll become pregnant. "Are you...?"

"No," she smiles at him happily and that leaves him a little dumbfounded. She came looking for this. He smacks himself in the head repeatedly till she walks over and catches hold of his wrists, kissing at his red forehead. "Shh shh, don't beat yourself up, Clint." She presses her body up against his with a low purr, taking his hands and moving them down her body to her belly. "Do not worry about the future." At that, she turns away from him.

"Look, I do worry about you becoming...pregnant," he almost chokes on the word and she's already at his door.

"Show me your friends," she quickly changes the subject and he sighs. Pulling on jeans and a t-shirt, along with a hoodie and some skater shoes, trying to keep with feeling young still.

"Alright." He leads her down to the living room; knowing for sure they will find Tony. Speaking of the devil, there he is sitting at the wet bar with Steve right along beside him.

"Whoa, look at what the cat drug in," Tony lifts his head and stares at him and Lucia standing in the doorway. "Where'd you find a fine girl like that, birdcakes? You're going to make Natasha jealous." He barks out a laugh and Clint rolls his eyes, leaning in close to Lucia and whispering in her ear.

"Don't listen to and ignore Tony, he only wants to get in your pants. I won't let him." He kisses her on the cheek before letting go of her hand, knowing his face is red, for he can feel the heated flush across his cheeks. Turning as he hears other enter in behind them. There's Thor and Natasha, toe and toe. He watches as Thor seems to walk right up to Lucia, and without words exchanged, they seem to already know each other.

"New girlfriend?"

He turns to look at Natasha suddenly standing beside him. "Uhh..."

"It's alright, Clint," she punches him in the arm with a smile on her face. "But it's totally obvious you two had sex, like multiple times." She says nonchalant. He knows his face must be a brighter shade of red and he instantly looks to the floor and twists one foot side to side. "Something you're not telling me, Barton?" She arches a brow at him.

"I just met her and I feel I've known her for years," he blurts out and Natasha smiles. "Is that weird?"

"No. Maybe she's meant to be your soul mate or something."

"Really, Tasha...?"

"I read it in a book," she shrugs her shoulders. "I'm sure Loki wouldn't get too mad. Whoa, a threesome between you all, that would be damn hot." Clint stares at her and has to remind himself that Natasha doesn't have a shy bone in her body and borders on the line of bisexual.

"Heh, maybe you're right," he tries to laugh it off and watches as Lucia slips in with the rest of the gang, as if she has been around them before for quite a long while. He feels he has nothing to worry about really.

"Do you think he'll grow up to be like his father?" Clint looks back to Natasha, the blush gone now as she puts on her serious mask, knowing just who she's speaking of.

"I'm sorry, Nat," he whispers.

"It's alright..."

"No, it's not. Rape victims that say they're 'ok' really aren't 'ok'. You might slip into..."

"No, Clint, I'm not going to. I love him. He...he's a little blessing in disguise, I suppose," she whispers, looking down at the floor now and the two remain quiet, just listening to the idle chatter across the room.

"Is there anything you want me to do for you? For...Misha?"

"No," she lifts her face up to him and smiles sweetly. A look he hasn't seen in a long time and he rarely sees on Natasha's face. "Everything is fine, Clint. You just worry about yourself and your family," she lays a hand on his back.

"Yeh, not that easy with Loki gone."

"Did Thor say where he went?"

"No. Not really. Just...a council meeting in Asgard with Odin, but that's just about it. That's all ever get out him anyways these days. And when Loki is around, he doesn't speak about where he has gone or the things he does when he's away."

"Get him drunk, then he'll open up to you."

"He's a god, Tash, he doesn't get drunk."

"Drugs?"

"You're a bad influence on me, you know that?" he grins at her and they both share a little laugh.

"Just keep the pretty girl around, Clint. Things will work out in their places, you'll see," she pats him on the back before stepping up to the bar and among all the other boys. The only one missing is Bruce, and Clint is sure he's hard at work in his lab. Where he spends most of his waking hours, working on formulas on how to balance out the gamma radiation in his body and how to stabilize the 'other guy'.

He steps up to the bar to grab a drink, just in time to see Thor grab Lucia tightly by the elbow and lead her out of the room. He wants to try and stop the large god, but he also doesn't want to get in Thor's way. Staying in one spot and sipping on his drink while staying alert.

"What are you doing here, Loki!?" Thor hisses at her and she pulls her elbow back, rubbing at it while frowning at Thor. "Why do you smell like Barton and sex? You went against my rules again, Loki! How could you?"

"Yes, I did. And it was fun. You can't keep me from fun, Thor," she huffs, standing up to him, it's the only way to keep Thor in check.

"Why!?"

"Why? Because I had to! I'm sorry I'm not in charge of my Jotun reproduction schedule book!"

"You mated with another human?"

"As if I had a choice in the matter. I have already told you all the details on several occasions," she rolls her green eyes at him. "And yes, this time around it was Barton; a little heads up. Which I'm totally glad it's him and not you!"

"You went against Father's rules. Against all the reasons you were outcasted from Asgard in the first place! Your magic taken from you!"

"I would like my magic back."

"It is in Father's hands now. And I fear you may never have it returned to you, Loki."

Lucia moves up swiftly and smacks her hand hard across Thor's face, pulling her palm back with a hiss. Both of them just standing, staring at each other quietly for the few following minutes with no words exchanged.

"Let me keep the young," she turns her back on Thor, smoothing her hands down her flat stomach. "At least let me enjoy this...as a...normal human female would. For that's all I really am now without my magic, a mere mortal."

"Then, I shall not intervene." She turns around to face Thor once more, with wide green eyes. "I'll just speak with Father and try to reason with him about your Jotun heritage. You shouldn't be punished for it." She watches as he turns and leaves her in the room alone. She returns her hands to her belly and smiles, to grow with young and live the life of a mortal. Returning out to the living area of Stark tower and sauntering up to the bar where Clint is sitting. Giving him a sweet smile, pulling him down close and kissing him deeply, passionately, and openly right there before the others. Feeling the needing back inside to take her mate back to his bedroom for more play time. Feeling Clint pushing back against her and she draws back, blinking a few times at him. Knowing Tony is staring for sure, while Steve is trying not to look and Natasha is rolling her eyes.

"Are you okay?" he whispers to her. "Did Thor hurt you?" She shakes her head quickly with the answer 'no' and hears Clint sigh in relief. "He can get pretty rough sometimes, I wanted to make sure he didn't hurt you," he tells her as he lifts her arm to inspect it for any marking or bruising, and she can't help but laugh a little and smile. Clint is so protective, making him the perfect mate material.

"Clint, we need to talk," she leans in and whispers in his ear. He nods his head and they both quietly return to his bedroom a few floors up. With the door closed, she feels more at ease to get this heavy burden off her chest. "I should tell you the truth."

"Truth on what? Are you a spy? Oh gods, how could I have not seen that before? How could I have been so naive and stupid?" he is already taking up a defensive stance against her.

"No, I am not a spy," she turns to face him, reaching out a hand to lay her fingers against his left temple. "Little hawk." Feeling his body tense up further and his ocean green eyes widen in recognition.

"Loki?" the name passes his lips and she smiles, nodding her head in answer to the question. "Loki..."

"The AllFather has stripped me of my magic and has forced me into my female form for crimes I have no judgment in. I'm sorry, but Thor had ordered me to not to give away my identity to you or the rest of the Avengers."

"But you just did."

"I know," she shrugs her shoulders. "He's going back to Asgard to speak with Father on the matter. So it doesn't matter that I have to hide my identity from you any longer. You're still my mate. Still my little hawk."

"You still want me to call you Lucia?" Clint smiles at her and gives a wink.

"Yes," she purrs, walking up to him and taking his hands, placing them against her flat stomach. "I'll be with young soon again." Watching his expression of joy drop and his skin begin to pale. He takes a step back and quickly shakes his head. She feels as if her heart just dropped into her stomach. Clint is clearly not joyed by the news.

"No, Lu...no. Remember what happened to you last time?" he lifts up his head and stares at her again, his hands rolling and clenching into tight fists. "Remember? We had to save you and...Loona almost died! You almost died! I thought I had lost you!"

"I'm still here, Clint." She approaches him slowly, grabbing for his hands and holding onto them tightly. "No one is taking me away from you this time. I won't be another person's science experiment again. And hell if I ever think of abandoning this young." She watches his expression a moment longer and it begins to soften and he relaxes. She wraps her arms loosely around him and he holds her in return. Resting her head against his chest and listening to his loud beating heart for what seems to be hours. She feels like she can stay like this with him forever, but cruel fate always has a change of plans.

He couldn't believe what he just heard out of Tony's mouth. An invitation extended to all of the Avengers, Lucia included, to take a summer trip out to his Malibu California home. Poor Stark must need a pick up, still mourning over the loss of his son, Aiden.

A couple months have ticked by since Loki opened up to him about his identity change and the punishment from Odin, and things have been sliding along rather smoothly. If you scratch out that he has to hold up her glorious long black waves of hair every morning as she deals with morning sickness of being pregnant. She then informs him that she likes living the life of a mortal female. Nine months are going to be a long time, without magic added in to speed up the process.

"Stark wants us out there at his summer house? In the sun? Have you seen how pale skinned I am, little hawk?" she groans, standing before the bed with an empty suitcase open and nothing packed.

"Yeh, it will be fun," he walks up behind her, wrapping his arms around her as he slowly rolls his hips and grinds himself against her arse. "Trust me, I'll make it all worth your while," he whispers into her ear and nibbles against the lobe. Feeling her body shudder in delight back against him. He helps her to pack a few things and a bikini, borrowed from Natasha.

He then turns his attention to helping Loona pack up her clothes and her bag of inhalers. Her lungs still aren't strong enough, even with five years having passed. Her immune system kicked in a long time ago, but the asthma is what hits her the hardest. Crouching down in front of her and pulling her in for a hug and kiss. "Who is Daddy's favorite little girl?" he grins and she squirms. "You finish packing up your things, Loona, and take it up to the roof, okay? I'll be waiting up there with the quinjet."

"We get to ride in the quinjet to uncle Tony's?" she asks excitedly and he nods his head up and down. Standing up and watching her finish packing her things. Turning to help Lucia, but she's all done.

"The trip won't take that long. That thing is faster than a jet," he grins, pulling Lucia towards him to steal a kiss, resting one hand to her stomach. She's already showing a slight baby bump underneath the long shirt she is wearing to cover it.

"It's okay, Clint," she smiles, pushing his hand back away with a smile on her face. "The young is fine."

"You don't know that. You don't have magic this time to tell you so."

"Alright, I will part this little information on you. I've been collecting on the magic Loona unintentionally lets off."

"Loona has magic?"

"She is my daughter, Clint. Anyways, I've been collecting enough for a simple spell," she smiles, rubbing her hands against her stomach. "Just a protection spell. It helps keep the young from any harm that comes to it." She lifts her gaze back up to him and he pulls her into a deep kiss.

"You're such a fucking genius. Okay, are you done packing?" he shuts and zips his suitcase. "We have to get up to the roof and I need to get the quinjet running."

It's a full ride. Looking back to see if everyone is strapped in. There's Lucia with Loon, Bruce holding little Misha (he has stepped in to play 'father' to the little boy), Steve, and Natasha up in the other pilot seat with him. "Didn't think I'd let you fly this puppy by yourself, did you?" she gives him a wink and he smiles back. Tony and Thor taking their own form of transportation, they start their trip off to California.

The trip by quinjet is pretty quick, taking them only about half an hour or so to cross the United States to California. Parking the jet on the roof of Tony's mansion and everyone files out with their things. Making their way inside and Jarvis informs everyone on which rooms they will be staying in for the time they will be staying in the mansion. He has given Clint and Lucia a grand master bedroom with large bay view windows looking over the large expansive ocean set before them. Lucia spends a long time looking out the large clear windows till Clint has to grab her attention.

"Seen anything like this before?"

"The waters on Asgard are not like this, little hawk. They are as dark as the sky. Here, the water is green and blue and so wide."

"Stretches for thousands of miles. Stretches all around the earth. Largest body of water there is," he grins. "Come on, lets finish unpacking."

It takes some time, but when they are finished, they gather with the other Avengers over dinner (which consists of Tony's favorite meal, pizza). Tony having announced that they should all head to the beach tomorrow for some time in the sun, and everyone agrees. Everyone returning to their rooms after the meal and Clint drops Loona off with Natasha before following Lucia back to their room.

He lays her out on their bed, crawling over her and begins to tug off her jeans. Her feather light hands come to rest on his and he snaps his attention to her.

"What?"

"No, hawk. Not to tonight." She whispers and he whines in protest. "The young does not wish to be disturbed." She rolls over, back to him. Maybe tomorrow she will change her mind. He strips out of his clothes and slips under the covers to sleep.

This was all together new to her. The feeling of sand between her bare toes as she stands before the endless stretch of the largest body of water on all of Midgard. To see such a marvelous sight with a different perspective, is something she'll always remember. Turning to watch Clint laying down some beach towels and ramming a large umbrella deep into the sand for shade cover. Bringing his 'cooler' over and opening it up to fish out drinks for all of them. Watching Loona happily sitting herself down on a beach towel with a juice pack in her grabby little hands.

"Aren't you going to go down and test the waters? You can swim, can't you?" Clint turns around and asks her, hands on his hips, looking quite stunning in his swimming trunks and no shirt. Showing off his taunt muscles and golden skin, but besides that, his scars from pass missions. She knows he's not as proud of them as he should be.

"I to can swim," she huffs at him, turning and running down to the water's edge. The tiny waves lapping at her toes and taking the sand out from under her feet little by little. She admits, it does seem to tickle a bit. Turning to see Loona running down to the water's edge to join her. Reaching out and resting her hand lightly on top of her daughter's head. "What do you think?"

"It's not like the tub," she glances up. She can't help but laugh at that and shake her head.

"It's not the bath tub, love. It's...the ocean. Of course it would be...colder." She answers Loona and watches carefully as she wades a little deeper and then runs out screaming, running all the way back to Clint on his beach towel. Maybe she just couldn't handle the coolness of the water. In turn, Lucia moves out a little deeper, the water coming up to her shins now and lapping around her legs. To her, the water feels so good against her skin, so soothing. Inching out ever so slowly till the waves are now lapping against her swollen belly. A little deeper till she's all the way in. Kicking her legs and sweeping out her arms as she moves further out. The feeling of floating in and swimming in water, she has not felt in quite a long long time. She turns herself around and raises her right arm up out of the water, waving to Clint high back up on the beach.

A sleeper wave creeps up behind her and crashes down on top of her, forcing her under the water and rolls her in with the motion of the wave. Just as she resurfaces for air once more; airs flailing to keep herself above the waster, she is hit by another wave, forced far down under the water this time and tumbled about. This wave pushing her to the bottom and she hits her head against a large rock. Blacking out and loosing conciseness quickly.

He was watching Lucia and Loona standing down at the edge of the water together. Watching Loona put her toes in and then turn screaming, running back up to him on the beach towels and he catches her. She blathering to him that the water is cold and that something had pinched one of her toes. He laughs it off with her as he waves a hand back at Lucia. She's already further out into the ocean than he expected. Giving a smile before looking at Loona's foot to see what is the matter.

Upon glancing back at Lucia, he notices a wave has knocked her under the churning water. Watching her pop back up, arms flailing about, before being pummeled by another wave. He stares, watching for another moment; sure she'll come back to the surface, but none such thing happens.

He quickly stands up now, seeing out of the corners of his eye that Tony and Steve are watching too before he breaks out into a full on sprint to the waters edge and quickly dives under the on coming wave. Surfacing and beginning to swim and make his way to where he last saw Lucia. Diving under, he finds her body, scooping her up and kicking his legs quickly back to the surface. Fighting and riding the waves back into the shore, Steve and Tony are there to help him as they carry her out of the water.

Clint lays her down on her back and begins his SHIELD CPR training, he just never suspected he'd have to use it. Pushing his palms together down against her diaphragm, 1 2 3...holding her nose and breathing into her mouth. Stops and listens for her heart beat. Pushing more, 1 2 3. More breathing. Pushing, 1 2 3. She begins to cough and he turns her head to the side and helps her as she spits up the sea water from her lungs before she begins to breath normally. Thank the gods.

He rests his head down against hers and kisses her cheeks, her eyes do not open.

"JARVIS," Tony speaks into a small portable com-link he he has strapped around his wrist.

"Yes, sir?"

"Send an ambulance right away to my beach."

"But, sir..."

"Just do it, JARV, this is an emergency."

"They are on their way, as requested, Mr. Stark. ETA seven minutes out."

Within five minutes the ambulance has arrived and the EMTs rush out and get Lucia onto the gurney, wheeling her into the back of the ambulance. Clint quickly leaves Loona with Tony before jumping into the back of the ambulance and pulling the doors shut. The ride into the city and nearest hospital is quick, yet quiet a bumpy ride. He gets out and helps the EMTs as they rush her inside and into the ER, where he's stopped by the doors, unable to go any further.

He turns and looks back out over the waiting room and slowly takes a seat. Fidgeting for a few minutes, observing everyone. Little kids, elderly, newly weds even. After some time he picks up a magazine and begins to try and amerce himself back into pop culture.

It's some time before a doctor steps out through the doors with clip board in hand and calls out his name.

"Mr. Barton?"

"That would be me," he raises his hand and gets to his feet, really...bare feet.

"Come with me," he turns and goes down the hall and Clint follows close behind. He's just like any other doctor, a comb over, large glasses, white lab coat and a stethoscope around his neck. He follows past many rooms till the doctor opens one on the west side and they step into a single bed room.

Lucia lays silently asleep in the hospital bed, an IV drip taped to the inside of her left wrist, while around her other wrist is her hospital bracelet. Someone has dressed her in a hospital johnny and dried her long waves of black hair.

"There is good news and there's bad news. Which do you wish to hear first."

He swallows convulsively and looks back the doctor. "The good."

"The good is that you got her here in time. We were able to get the rest of the sea water out of her lungs. We also were able to stitch up that nasty head gash. Another good is that the baby is perfectly fine. No signs of trauma or any upset from the partial drowning." Thank the gods, Clint prays. "Do you wish to know the gender?"

"You know what it is?" he stares at the doctor with wide eyes and a blush on his cheeks.

"But of course."

"Then...tell me."

"A healthy growing boy." A boy, Clint can feel his heart fluttering quickly and pounding hard against the inside of his chest as he takes the news that they are having a boy.

"And the bad news?" he turns to the doctor as he brushes one long black strand off her pale cheek.

"She is in a coma and there's no knowing how long she will be. I'm sure the baby will be just fine, there's no need to take it out now. It looks to be only four months along." Clint looks sadly down at Lucia and nods his head up and down. "I'll leave you two be."

Once the door shuts, Clint squirms his way up on the hospital bed along side Lucia, kissing her checks before brushing his fingers against the bandaging around her head.

"You can't leave me now," he whispers to her, picking up one of her hands and kissing at her knuckles. "Loki...I need you. You know that, right? Me...Loona...our new...baby." He makes himself comfortable beside her, for he feels he will be here awhile with her. And making no plans of leaving any time soon.

The excruciating pain of opening one's eyes is a lot harder than what one might think. And that is just what is running through Lucia's head when she opens her eyes and sees nothing by pitch darkness. A stretched out canvas of night littered with glittering stars; they are the only light. Upon sitting up, she spots another figure across the way, caught in a spot light.

"Females, you really are the weaker sex. You've disappointed him. You degraded his trust in you and step on it, snuffing it out. Look at where it got you. I should have done what Odin wanted me to. Not get mixed up with humans. Then none of this would have happened and it would just be me and Clint together with nothing between us."

She frowns at her male self, Loki, as he continues to blather on about all the things she has done wrong. How she seems to be a completely different entity from himself and she has taken over. That she might not give him the chance to return when they stand on trial before Odin Allfather.

"Where am I?" she asks calmly.

"The recess of your mind. Where else do you think?" Loki sneers.

"How?"

"You drowned."

"I'm dead?"

"Not exactly. You hit your head against a rock when a wave broke down on top of your, and blacked out. Clint dove into the ocean to save you; careful little hawk. Did CPR and rushed you off to the nearest healers."

"If that is so, why can't I see anyone but you?"

"Baby," he grins, "you're in a coma. That means you are asleep and you can't wake up."

Her heart drops quickly into her stomach when those last four words come out of Loki's mouth. 'You can't wake up.' If she can't wake up, how is she to know the baby is fine? That Clint is fine?

Hell if she's going to let this coma stop her.

He has been visiting Lucia in the hospital for the following few months. Always bringing her new bouquets of flowers when the others wither and die. Bringing her little gifts she'll never see. Bringing Loona by in hopes that her laughter might wake her. Even having forced himself to go out and buy some baby clothes, wishing to share them with her.

Some times Natasha comes along with him and the two sit in the hospital room with her and just chat about their SHIELD work and about how there days have been. Sometimes he brings a good book he has been reading and reads a chapter or two to her in hopes that she will hear his voice and wake up. Other times he brings in music for her off his iPod in hopes of soothing her and the baby.

It has been four months. Four months since the ocean accident and she slipped into this coma. Thankful enough that her head wound sealed up quite nicely. Over those four months he has seen changes, good changes with her. Finding himself rubbing his hand over her belly and giving her a kiss when he has to leave and visiting time is over.

Today, he has brought Tony along with him to the hospital to check on how Lucia is doing. Checking on her IV drip, the catheter that snakes out from under the blankets of her bed, and the heart monitor.

"It's a good thing you acted quickly to get her out of the water, Clint, any longer and she might have ended up with hypothermia next to almost drowning."

"Thank you for calling for the ambulance to come so quickly," he blushes, looking down at the floor. "Even with giving away the location of your own beach."

"Not a problem, bud," Tony slaps a hand against his back that causes him to stand up straighter. "Now, I've brought a little gadget with me today. Something I have been working on down in the lab for the past few months and I think I have it refined to a science."

"And, what does it do, Stark?" Really, he doesn't want to know.

"Oh, wouldn't you like to know," Tony beams a grin so wide that even Clint has to take a step back. Sure he would trust his life in Tony's hands, but Tony is also quite reckless when it comes to holding on to lives of others. "It gives a little glimpse into the mind of the patient. To see what is going on inside of their brain. Maybe then, doctors might be able to pull a patient out of their coma." Clint can't help and stare at Tony. That gadget is the first Tony has made without himself in mind, unless he too falls into a coma. "Here, lets give it a try." He steps up to Lucia, placing the small device behind her left ear, against her skull.

Music begins to play, crackles, and then stops all together. Filled by complete silence. Then there's her voice, calling out from the darkness.

"I don't know where I am."

Clint takes a step closer, hearing Lucia's voice without her even opening her mouth. Hearing Lucia and hearing Loki for the first time in almost a year.

"Fuck. What is that, Tony?" he turns around quickly and glares at the millionaire standing beside him. "Is this some kind of sick twisted joke?"

"No," Tony frowns back at Clint for even disbelieving in him. He was only trying to help. "It channels the thoughts in the head into audible voices. And quite spot on, I must say." Clint turns back to looking down on Lucia, grabbing her hand and kissing her knuckles.

"I wish you could hear me; either of you, Loki." Tony steps forward and removes the little gadget and the voices disappear, leaving Clint's heart a little sore at the loss.

Lucia was going to do it. She was going to push herself out of this stagnant coma and leave the whining of Loki in the back of her head. She could care less for her greater half. Her eyes fluttering open, though the lids feel as heavy as lead. She quickly takes in her surroundings of a hospital room and an IV taped to the inside of her left wrist.

Over in the far corner of the room is a pop-up play pen for little ones. Through the screen on the side she can see Loona and Misha both napping quietly. It's nice to see the two of them together, though Loona is now quite larger than little Misha. Looking down and to her right side to see Clint slumped forward in his chair, head resting on the hospital sheets and sleeping restlessly. There's harsh dark lines under his eyes and he looks like he hasn't slept in weeks; which might be true.

She quietly and slowly reaches out her right hand out to touch him. Resting her fingers gently to his soft sandy blond hair and then running her fingers through it. It is a bit rough and feels he hasn't washed it for a few days. So long she craved to once more hold onto this feeling and here it is. She moves her hand to to the sheets now. Sliding them down her body and taking in the sight of how greatly her belly has swollen with young. She feels the heat of a blush across her cheeks and it crawls out to her ears as she hears Clint stir awake. Her heart beating quickly to see though sea green eyes of his once more.

"Little hawk," she whispers, for her voice is harsh and rough. He bolts upright, kicking back his chair, stumbling, and falling to the floor with a loud crash. She peeks over the edge of the bed to see if he is alright; seeing him rubbing at the back of his head. He stands to his feet quickly and lunges for her. Kissing her over and over.

"Lo...Lucia! You're awake! Thank gods, you're awake!"

"Yes, I am," she kisses him back and rubs her hands over her belly. Soon, soon the young will be born and soon judged by Odin. Maybe this time he'll finally see that Loki has no choice. He does what he has to do to survive. That includes procreating with humans. She reaches for his hands and moves them down to rest over her belly.

"Yes...oh gods...Luc...you wanna know?"

"Know what?" she blinks. "Is it...okay?"

"It's just fine," he is grinning from ear to ear. "No, do you wanna know the sex?"

"You know the gender of my babe?"

"Yeh, the doctor informed me."

She quickly looks down and rubs at her swollen belly again. Liking being in the dark about just what it might be, but the knowledge of knowing is eating at her from the inside out. She lifts her gaze back up to him.

"You wanna know?" he asks again, clearly it's eating him up wanting to tell her and she should just let him.

"It's clearly what you want."

He stands there now, wide eyes and blushing and she can't help but laugh.

"Umm...I guess you can think of it like that. It's a boy, Lucia. We're having a boy," he picks up her hands and kisses her fingers and now she can't stop staring at him, blinking back a few stray tears stinging at the corners of her eyes. A boy. A real boy. Loki wanted a boy the first time around and ended up with Loona. He came to accept that. Then there was the young with Thor that did not make it, that was a boy. A boy for Tony. Even Natasha had a boy. But this boy, is all together more special to Loki.

"When are we leaving the hospital, Clinton?"

"Hm? Oh, let me speak with the doctor and..." They both turn as they hear the door open and watches Natasha walk into the hospital room. She doesn't look at the two of them and continues to the play pin, picking up Misha and holding the little infant against her breast. Finally turning her gaze to them with her piercing green eyes. "Hey, Nate," Clint smiles at her and calls her over to his side. Pulling her towards him and capturing her mouth with a kiss and a kiss to Misha. Lucia looks away, blushing slightly, looking away from the happy two, through she is carrying Clint's baby.

"Good to see you awake, Lo...Lucia," Natasha speaks lowly, turning and walking out of the room.

"Sorry," Clint turns back to her. "You know Nate's still upset with you about...yeh, that's a different matter for another time. I'll call up Tony and we'll be heading back to the mansion soon." He leans down and kisses her forehead before walking out of the room and she rests her head back against the pillows with a deep and heavy sigh. Soon she'll be back in a real bed, in a real room and out of this smelly hospital. Waiting for Clint to return, she slips from the bed, taking the IV drip out of her arm and swings her legs out over the edge of the bed.

The floor seems far down and she doesn't know how well her legs will work after being in a coma for the past few months. Touching her toes down against the linoleum floor and walking wobbly over to the play pen and looking in on Loona. Hooking her hand in and brushing her fingers against her cheeks.

"How is my little moon goddess?" she asks and watches as Loona stirs, but doesn't wake. Nightmares don't seem to be plaguing her as much as they use to. The door opens and Clint reappears, quickly moving to her and picking her up on her feet once more.

"Doc says you're okay to leave. I already signed the release papers." He smiles and kisses her. A few minutes later Tony shows up to help them and they take his fast silver Audi back to his mansion.

He finds himself sitting on the tiled counter top in the large bathroom attached to the room they are staying in at Stark's California mansion. And it is quite a spacious bathroom at that. Tiled floors and tiled walls with art deco colouring from the 1970s; a long counter top and state of the art toilet. Clint is pretty sure it was flown straight out from Japan and then Stark tinkered with it. For that is what Stark does best when he bored. They thing flushed, sprayed water against your ass and whipped for you. It did everything, handsfree. Guess you needed that when staying with Stark.

He is watching the humid steam from the shower condense on the glass doors. The figure on the other side is gone from being visible and that leaves Clint to use his imagination. Just a hazy reflection. He is staying in the bathroom while Lucia showers, as a precaution for if she does slip and fall. A hot shower was the first thing that she requested when they got back from the hospital and he wasn't going to stop her from getting one.

All those four long months she was in a coma at that hospital, someone must have washed her and kept her clean. She was always clean when he would come and visit with her. Some daily sponge baths from the nurses and he preys to god that none of them were guys. He wishes for none to look upon Lucia like he does.

Here he sits on the counter, listening to her singing in some foreign tongue that he can't begin to place. From the sound of her voice, it may be a sad song, but he would not know.

"Is that...Asgardian?" he asks over the loud spray of the water. It was only the first thing he could think of of where the song may have come from.

"No," she replies, "It's from my home realm of Jotunheim. It's just a lullaby, that is all. It is passed down through the generations. I read it out of some dusty old book I found in the library back on Asgard." Clint reminds himself of Loki's keen knack for knowledge and love for books. But of course she would not be singing a song not known to humans, but from some other realm, out there past the stars of the Milky Way.

"Lo...Lucia...can you feel it? Is it..kicking? Any movement at all?"

"What?" she calls over the spray of the shower and through the foggy glass he can see her body turn as she lathers a bar of soap up and down her perfectly sculpted form.

"Never mind," he mutters to himself, turning to look in the medicine cabinet behind the mirror, so see what things Tony could he hiding in here. First he spots all the things that would be in a first aid box, followed by many different brand name condoms. One for each woman? Or does he want them for when they call for a certain brand name? Clint sneers in disgust and closes the cabinet and tries to occupy himself with something else. It's just him and Luc in the bathroom; Tony having taken Loona down to his lab to keep her entertained.

He was just looking down at the tiles on the floor and trying to name the colours when he hears a loud thud, followed by cursing in some language he can't place, might as well be Jotun again.

"Luc..." he slips down off the counter and opens the glass door to the shower. Seeing her white body laying there, on her side and shaking. He reaches in quickly and shuts off the water. His eyes catching and watching a stream of blood trickle its way down to the drain with the remaining water. He moves quickly to try and move her on her back but she hisses in pain and he pulls back. His heart pounding hard in his chest. Almost so hard that he feels it might break loose and jump out of his throat. "Oh...oh gods...where does it hurt, Luc? Where's that blood..." he begins to hyperventilate when the blood he saw earlier is still going at a steady stream down the drain. Gently, he moves her top leg and finds the source, she's bleeding from inside and this sure isn't a good thing. First thing that hits his mind is that she's having a miscarriage and so close to her due date.

He moves to rubbing a hand against her belly and calling out for Stark's A.I. "Jarvis!"

'Yes, Mr. Barton?'

"I need Tony, right now!" he hisses, turning to wringing Lucia's long wet hair.

'Right away, sir. He will be up in a minute.'

Clint works quickly to dry her hair and wrap her up in the towels before making his attempt to carry her out into their room. Laying her down on their bed as gently as he can. "It's going to be okay, Luc. We'll get you back to the hospital..."

"No," she groans, her body writhing under the towels. "No, not the hospital again. No. No one is going to take my baby away from me." Clint hangs his head as she says that and he knows she's remembering back to Loona's birth.

"We...you don't have to go to the hospital," he whispers, taking one of her hands and kissing her fingers as the door opens and Tony appears. He freezes in the doorway before Clint crooks his finger at him and he enters, closing the door behind him. Lucia doing her best to hold back her screams.

"Wouldn't Bruce be better for this job? I mean...he is a doctor and..." Tony stares as Clint glares at him with narrowed ice ocean coloured eyes. "Or we can just do this." And that's just how it is going to pan out for Tony and Clint.

Tony quickly snaps on a pair of gloves from the medicine cabinet in the bathroom and then begins to peel the towels away from Lucia's naked body. With Clint's help of keeping her legs open and wide as he begins to inch his hand in in hopes of feeling which direction the babe is facing and if it is ready to come out with fall that Lucia took against the tiled floor of the shower.

Clint leaves a trail of kisses across her forehead and whispers little nonsense in her ear. In hopes of calming her, but it seems what they do on TV does not work in real life, and she continues to squirm and moan in deep pain that Clint doesn't even know how to begin to describe.

"Barton, keep her still," Tony hisses at him and Clint knows he's in his working mode, which Clint would prefer to his womanizing mood. He does his best to soothe Lucia into holding still while Tony does his magic. Constantly wanting to ask Tony, but he can't bring himself to open his mouth. This could be it.

She felt violated. She felted used and abused. She felt she was unable to do anything about her prior situation. She could feel everything, down to minute details of her predicament.

She could feel Tony's gloved hand deepening inside her in ways that she does not find arousing. The pinch of pain as the young in her womb shifts about at Tony's command and she almost bites down on her tongue, holding back her moans and want to scream. The only thing keeping her centered is Clint being so close.

He is nestled back behind her so that her head can lay in his lap as Tony works between her thighs. He having lent her his hands to squeeze with all her might as she's taken over with the sensations of labour. There's no holding this young back any longer, the urge to push entering her mind. A month before the young is set to be due, Lucia preys to the Aesirs of Asgard that her young be healthy. Healthier than Loona.

"I can feel it. Oh that feels totally not right," Tony announces with a slight sneer of disgust on his face.

"Is he in the ...right direction?" Clint asks and she can see the slight blush on his cheeks.

"I have him the right direction now, head first. Now all we need is for her to push."

Clint gives a big sigh of relief that Lucia can feel working its way all through his body, he drops his head down and kissing her sweat slicked forehead. Running his fingers through her still damp long hair. "Come on, you can do it. I know you can," he whispers to her. "Everything will be fine. He'll be fine." She is filled with the urge to push again, giving a scream and then biting her bottom lip as she writhes upon the towels on the bed. Legs spread wide open before Tony and he is working hard to deliver the young.

An hour ticks by with no avail and is leaving her sick and weak. Having been pushing when Tony tells her and resting when Clint pets a hand over her forehead. Trying her best to regain her composure, but it is hard without the use of any magic.

"I'm sorry. Oh gods, I'm sorry," Clint whispers in her ear and kisses her lips over and over. She turns her head to the side, avoiding his kisses.

"There's no use for you being sorry. You know it's in my blood to do things like this and I can't stop it. I must carry on. There will be other times..."

"But you wanted this..."

"Yes, I did," she smiles up at him. "But if it was not meant to be...it was not meant to be, little hawk." He looks down on her with eyes filled deep with sorrow and she can't help but feel a bit like she was stabbed in the heart.

"You can do this. You can give birth to our...baby...I'm positive you can, Loki," he kisses her forehead and uses her real name and that hits a certain cord inside. Long since she heard Loki's voice in the back of her mind, she knows he'll push for her.

She gives it another try after making straight eye contact with Tony and he nods his head at her. Pushing with all her might and mortal strength this time and clenches tightly to Clint's offered hands.

"This is it," Tony announces, his hands cupping under the infant's head as he beaches and gently pulls him out the rest of the way. The room is instantly filled with the sound of crying, and that soothes Lucia's heart and soul. To finally hear her young, to know that he's alive and well. Shifting her gaze up to watch Clint's expression as he leans forward, with mouth having open in almost disbelief. And she smiles at the side of Tony trying to wipe clean the little babe.

"Clint, top drawer in the night stand, you should find a pair of scissors," Tony points to the night stand and Clint nods his head, leaning over to pull the drawer open and produce a pair of large silver scissors. "And you can do the honors, 'daddy'." Tony grins, joking around with the archer.

Lucia watches with curious eyes, watching Clint lean in and snip the umbilical cord from the infant and Tony ties the other end before swaddling up the little babe. In Jotunheim, most Jotuns would just cut the cord with their teeth, but here on Midgard it must be a honored tradition for the father to cut the cord.

Tony leans in with a smile on his face and lays the weight of her little baby boy upon her chest.

"Congrats you two. A baby boy. Shall I get the others together for a party?"

"Not too fast, Stark," Clint holds out a finger and presses it against Tony's lips, causing him to stop talking all together. "Lets let Luc rest up a bit before allowing any company to come in and visit." Tony nods his head, getting to his feet and washing his hands in the bathroom before leaving.

"You did it," Clint whispers, kissing her lips and she can't help but smile and kiss him back before transferring the kiss to the babe in her arms, nestled safely against her breast. "But we should take him to Bruce soon. I hope you can understand that."

"I do, little hawk, I do. And I will not try to stop you..."

"What do you mean?"

"You shall take him Bruce."

"Me?"

"Yes. You can take him to Bruce. I shall stay here and rest." She watches his confused expression before it's wiped off and he nods his head up and down in agreement.

After getting dressed an a hour of just laying in bed, little babe at her side, does Clint get ready to take the young with him down to see Bruce in the lab. She kisses her baby boy and Clint before they leave and the room falls silent. All that she can hear is the crashing waves outside against the cliff face. Closing her eyes, she can see Asgard's vast black ocean, far below the bifrost. When she opens her eyes again, she spots Thor standing in the corner of the room.

"I did knock," he announces and she closes her eyes once more.

"Why are you here, Thor?"

"You have had your young."

"Yes, I did."

"So, I am here to take you back to Asgard to stand before Father." She opens her eyes to look at him again, but does not protest. Slipping off the bed and to her feet. Thor coming forward to keep her upright and she has no strength to bat him away. No way to stop him from teleporting them both to Asgard.

They come to the large golden court room of Asgard and she drops to her knees before the stand, feeling sick to her stomach just after birth.

"Loki, son of Fárbauti, will rise."

She sneers, pushing her hands underneath her body and forcing herself to stand up on her own and face Odin. Quickly running her fingers through her long black hair, wishing to be presentable to him.

"You have disobeyed my orders and the terms of your punishment. Mingling once more with humans."

"I have," she looks down at the floor for a minute as she sways side to side before lifting her gaze back up to Odin with narrowed green eyes of hate. "I have," she speaks more proudly this time and louder. "It's in my blood to breed and you know it. It's in my blood to take a mate and to...mate. It's not my chose who it is." She turns around now to face the rest of the court, hands clenched into tight first. "It's not my choice; it's all inside. And what happens if I ignore that internal clock of mine buzzing? Pain happens. Deep set, excruciating pain. Far beyond anything you can imagine with your tiny little minds!" She sneers at them and takes note of a few that reel back in disgust and it only spurs her on.

"But a few hours ago, I fell in the shower back on Midgard. I fell and hurt myself. My young," she rubs at her still swollen looking belly, "was not to be due for another month. This fall brought on labor. No more then a few hours ago, I gave birth to a healthy baby boy," she smiles, her heart swelling in pride. "I gave birth in a mortal body," she runs her hands down her form and the council continues to listen. "A baby, just like all others. Just like yours, and yours," she points out into the jury, instantly gaining their vote.

"This is not something I choose to do, but I'm not ashamed to do it," she turns to face Odin once more. "If you wish to continue to punish me, so be it." There is an uproar of talk going all through the court room at once before Odin brings his staff down against the golden floor three times.

"SILENCE!" he calls out and glares at her with his one good eyes. And so the court room falls silent, not even the sound of a pin drop. Thor stands behind her, as straight as a board and just as quiet. "Loki," Odin announces. "I will lift your punishment. You have...opened my eyes to your life that you would never otherwise share with me. And I'm grateful for that." She feels her knees weaken as Odin steps down and approaches her and lifts Gungnir to her breast. When the staff touches her, she can feel a warm blooming feeling deep in her heart and radiating out. Turning to give Thor one last smile before giving into the warmth, reappearing as himself.

Standing before the court now, naked and returned to his rightful body, he raises his right hand and calls upon a small blue flame. Grinning at the sight of his magic also having been restored.

"You can take him back to Midgard now, Thor. I wish not to see you back here, Loki," Odin turns his back on him and Loki bows slightly. Turning now to Thor.

"Brother," he offers out his hand for once and speaks the words that Thor wants to hear most. For Thor is his ticked back home to Midgard, his tick back to his little hawk and baby boy.

He reaches his hand into the space of the open top incubator; his hand hovering inches above the small infant inside. His tiny shirt rides up his belly, showing the tied end of umbilical cord taped against his skin. He watches with sharp eyes at the young arches his back, clenching his fingers into small fists, curls his toes and lets out a low whine of frustration before settling down again. A smile tugs across Loki lips as he watches over the babe for a moment more before scooping him up into his arms. Cradling him against his chest and kissing him on the forehead.

"There's my baby hawk," he whispers, pulling off the small cap that was tugged snug over the infant's head. Revealing almost a full head of fuzz. Dirty blond in colour and resembling his father's. So much like Clint in many aspects of his being. "So sweet." He is grateful, really, to have the Avengers allowing him to live among them. Grateful for Dr. Banner on keeping his offspring alive. He doubts Loona would have lived long if she didn't have the care she desperately needed to receive after they were rescued from Kai.

Loki turns with the babe snug in his arms, as he hears someone enter through the lab doors behind him. Relaxing when he discovers that its' only Clint shuffling his feet with his head down.

"Come over here, little hawk," he beckons him over and Clint finally lifts his head and his gaze to Loki. Obeying, he stops shuffling his feet and slowly walks to Loki's side to check out the baby in his arms.

"Bruce says he should be good to go in no time. You know, no more having to keep him warm in the incubator."

"I understand," Loki nods his head up and down.

"So...your...Odin really gave you all your magic back?"

"Completely resored, just like my body." Loki grins. "You are happy, aren't you, little hawk."

"Oh, yes...yes, I am," he gives a weak smile that Loki does not approve.

"You were growing attached to Lucia, weren't you, little hawk? She was not me."

"But I thought..."

"I'm all screwed up inside, Clint," he lifts his gaze, "it would not least surprise you if I told you there's multiple personalities inside my head." With a free hand, he taps a finger against his head and grins. Sure explains a lot.

"Um, have you figured out a name for the little guy?" Clint asks, clearly trying to change the subject.

"No," Loki looks back at the baby sleeping soundly in his arms. "Clinton..."

"No, we are not calling him C.J." Clint huffs, arms crossed over his broad chest and frowning at Loki. Clearly 'junior' was out of the picture. But he does lean in close to run his fingers through the sandy strawberry blond hair crowning the babe's head.

"He looks like you," Loki whispers. It almost a little treat, Loona took after him, clearly this small babe will take after Clint.

"Yeh, but he's more you," Clint leans in with a kiss against Loki's check, a bit of a surprise. "Call him Erik. Yeh, Erik Barton. Sounds good, yes?"

Loki stares at his little hawk with a slight blush across the top of his cheeks. "You want Erik?" He looks back down at the sleeping babe. "Erik means 'eternal ruler', 'ever powerful'. I agree, you are my little prince, and my baby hawk," he leans in to kiss his forehead again just as the little one opens his eyes.

Clint leans in and they both look down on the little babe with mismatched coloured eyes. Yes, just like Loona. The right being the haunting blue of the being under the possession of the tesseract and the left like polished jade.

"How...how...Loki," Clint lifts his gaze to him and frowns. "The tesseract is back on Asgard...there's no way he could have been effected by it...the whole time you were here..."

Loki sighs and hands the babe over to Clint's arms before tugging up the hem of his shirt and pushing down his pants a little. Showing him a three inch long scar beside his right hip. "While the tesseract is in Odin's possession, and while I had the time, I dismantled the staff, Clint. I removed that last piece of the tesseract and...hid it away in my body. For safe keeping." He drops his shirt and lifts his gaze back up to Clint's stunned expression before taking the babe back. "There, I told you the truth." He nuzzles his face against his son's and turns away from Clint.

"Inform Stark that Erik is ready for his introduction party. And he better make it a good one."


End file.
